Selector mechanism for a flatwork ironer or the like



Feb. 14, 1961 E. C. LASH ET'AL SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR A FLATWORK IRONER OR THE LIKE Filed July 1. 1958 munlllll WM H.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 621962119 C bask Aawyerzce A. MCagre Feb. 14, 1961 E. c. LASH ETAL 2,971,660

SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR A FLATWORK IRONER OR THE LIKE Filed July 1, 1958 2 Sheet -Sheet 2 5 5/ jja 46 a Gain 2,971,660 P atented Feb. l4,1 96 1 SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR A FLATWORK IRONER OR THE LIKE Eugene C. Lash, South Bend, Ind.,

McClain, Decatur, 111., assignors to F. W. Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed July 1, 1958, Ser- No. 745,969

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-11) and Lawrence L. Means 8:

Our invention relates to .a selector mechanism operated by a suitable actuator located at the feed end of a fiatwork ironer or the like. Manual operation of the actuator conditions the mechanism to provide delayed action of a selector at the discharge end of the ironer to direct the work as desired.

In accordance with the present invention the actuator, preferably in the form of a foot operated electric switch, is located at the feed end ofthe fiatwork ironer. The operator lays out the flatwork to feed the same into the 1 machine and at this time can easily make a visual inspection without interrupting the rhythm of thework feeding operation. If aparticular piece is one that should be directed to a special discharge pointtfor example, by

' reason of worn, damaged or stained condition), the operator at this time actuates the foot pedal. The work thus enters the machine simultaneously with the foot pedal actuation. A memory unit is conditioned by actuation of the foot pedal and commences its. timedelay operation. At the completion of the time delay, the memory unit ac-tuates the selector to direct the work to the special discharge point as the work reaches the selector. The effect of the earlier actuation of the foot pedal when the work enters the machine is thus to accomplish a mechanism of the foregoing type which includes elements driven from the fiatwork ironer or the like to provide synchronized operation of the control mechanism Yet another object of the present invention is toprovide an apparatus of the foregoing type in which the response mechanism is physically adjusted to vary the amount of the time of delay in relation to the speed of the fiatwork ironer.

Other and further objects of the present invention include the provision of a selector mechanism for a flatwork ironer which is of simple construction, is reliable in operation, is suitable for use with a plurality of lines" on a single machine to direct the work on each such line and embodies features of construction, combination, and arrangement making it especially suitable for use in practical commercial laundry operation.

The novel features which we believe to be characteristic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Our invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic elevational view of an illustrative fiatwork ironer to which the selector mechanism of the present invention is applied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the memory unit portion of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the memory unit shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the movable elements of the memory unit made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts in cross-section showing conditioning elements for a memory unit made in accordance with the present invention; V

Figure 6 is a schematic wiring diagram for the control switch circuit; and

Figure 7 is a schematic wiring diagram for the selector switch circuit.

and the ironer, and thereby assure proper correlation of the operation of the two units.

Another. object ofv the present invention is to provide an improved selector mechanism for use with a fiatwork ironer or the like which includes a simple switch mechanism located at the feed end of the machine, and operable to preset or condition an element movable in unison with the machine and in which the conditioned element actuates a switch at a delayed time to actuate the selector.

Still another object of the present invention is to, provide an improved memory unit for an apparatus of the foregoing type in which a rotatable element has a plural- .ity of movable memory elements, each of which may have either of two positions, coupled with a mechanism responsive at a delayed time to the positions of the elements, respectively, to actuate the selection switch, in .accordance with the successive positions.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved selector mechanism having a "memory unit with gmovable elements, each of which represents one piece of flatwork.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown generally at 12 a fiatwork ironer having a feed end indicated at F- and a discharge end indicated at D. in use, towels or other flatWo-rk are fed into the machine at feed end F by laying them fiatwise on the ramp 24 from which they are carried into the machineby suitable moving belts (not shown). .The foot pedal 1tl2hereafter described in detail-is actuated by the operator when a flatwork piece requiring discharge into a separate discharge station (table 26) is encountered. Actuation of the pedal 102 serves to condition the memory unit it for time delay operation of the. selector 106 at the instant the piece being fed reaches that selector.

The machine 12 may be any form of fiatwork ironer, or may be some other laundry processing machine which has a'feed end and after time delay discharges the work at a discharge end. In the particular structure of Figure l, the ironer 12 comprises base 14 which serves as the mount for endless belts 16 and 18. A piece of fiatwork 22, such as a towel, pillow case, napkin, sheet, etc., is placed on ramp 24 at the feed end of the ironer shown at 23, after being thoroughly washed and cleaned. The flatwork 22 is then sandwiched between endless belts 16 and 18 and is pressed throughout its travel through the ironer. The fiatwork is discharged at the discharge end D of the ironer to various discharge stations which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. As described hereafter the ironer may. have several channels or lines (not shown) to accommodate a number of operators.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, memory unit 10 .includes a back plate 32 which carries a rotating drum 27. The drum is mounted on shaft 25, Figured, which in The shaft 25, and hence drum 27, is rotated from drive provided for each of the a., se s3.-s-..

shaft 44 through gear box 38 and chain 42. Shaft 44 is connected to and driven by the shaft 45, Figure 1 of the flatwork ironer 12. The gear ratio of the gears in .box 38, and the sizes of the sprockets 40 on which the chain 42 rides, are chosen to rotate the drum 27 one full revolution inslightly more than the time required for the flatwork to pass from the feed end P of the ironer 12 to the discharge end D. Since this ratio is maintained irrespective of the exact speed of operation of the machine 12, the necessary speed of rotation of the drum 27 is obtained even though the speed of the ironer is altered.

The back plate 32 also carries an arm 36, Figure 2,

which extends over and'radially inwardly of the drum 27.

At its inboard end this bracket receives the support shaft .34 for the carriage 60, Figure 4, upon which the switches 54 are mounted; End 28 of shaft 34 is threaded to receive .locking arm-56 whichis welded to nut 57 which is in threaded engagement with the end 28 of shaft 34. When locking arr'n 56 is swung in the gripping direction, the nut-57 bears tight on arm 58 and clamps the assembly in adjusted position as hereafter described.

The rotor 27 is defined by a pair of concentric spaced sleeve portions 48 and 49, Figure 5. These are secured together by the annular web 51, Figure 4, and by the circular back plate 46, Figures 2 and 3. The latter also serves tosupport the rotor 27 from the shaft 25. Pairsof radially oriented aligned holes 48a and 49a,

Figure 5, are bored in the inner and outer sleeves 48 and'49 as shown in Figures 2-5. These are in four arrays, each array being in a common plane normal to the axis of shaft 25, as is shown in Figure 3. The holes are at like circumferential spacings and are of sufiicientnumber'to direct the fiatwork as hereinafter described. Each of the arrays of elements 50 serves to control one channel or line of the fiatwork ironer 12, as hereinafter de,

scribed.

Shiftable elements in the form of pins 50 are. disposed in each set of aligned openings 48a and 49a, Figure 5. These pins are of like length and are of diameter to fit snugly in the respective openings. They are secured against radial movement by friction elements such as the spring wipers 47, Figure 5. .Alternatively, they may be thus secured by their own friction against the. walls of the holes, or by spring detents or other motion resisting elements. -As described hereafter, the pins 50 are thus secured in radial position until a predetermined force is overcome, at which time they are moved. Each of I the arrays of elements 50 serves to control one channel. or line of the fiatwork ironer 12, as hereinafter described.

As best seen in Figure 4, each movable element 50 is radially movable with respect to rotor drum 27 and has two positions. The first position is represented as 50a; the second is represented as 50b; When the movable elements 50 are in the first position 50a, selection at the remote end D of ironer 12 does not take place. When the elements are in the second position 501),, however, flatwork at the remote end D is selected and shunted to discharge station 26 as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

Each pin 50 is selectively shifted toradially inward position 59b by the conditioning element 80. --This' element is in the form of a flexible cam strip .afiixed at one end to fixed plate 74 and extending therefrom to t a position underlying the plunger 86 of air cylinder 84, Figure 5. When air pressure is applied to cylinder 84, cap 94 secured to the free endo-f plunger 86 shifts radially inwardly to flex strip 80 and define an inwardly curved cam surface thatovercomes the resistance of. the pins 50 to movement and shifts these pins to radially inward positions as they passby dueto rotation of ,the drum 27. In the absense of air pressure in the cylinder 84, the strip 80. unflexes and clears the pins,50, as shown in Figure 5. One strip 80 and the associated, elements is channels or lines as is shown The air cylinders 84 are mounted on bar 88 (which extends the axial length of drum 27) which is afiixed to back plate 32 by bolt 90. The bar 88 may be adjusted radially by means of slot 92. Air under pressure is supplied to cylinder 84 from pressure regulator 98 through tube 96. The regulator98 receives its air from a pressure source (not shown) through tubing 99.

Immediately prior to reaching the position of Figure 5,

each of the pins 50 is shifted radially to the first or outward position 50a by the fixed cam 72, Figure 4. This cam is supported from theback plate 10 through the support 82 which extends outwardly from the back plate and in overhanging relation to the drum 48 as shown in Figure 2. The cam 72 is welded to a base plate 72a which is located at the point of attachment to the inwardly extending portion of the support 82. This base plate has a threaded hole 72b, Figure 4, into which the bolt 86 is threadedly received as is shown in Figure 2.

The bolt 86 passesthrough the elongated opening 78 of 0 the support 82, thereby permitting both radial shift of the cam plate 72 and rotation of that plate as required to position the plate to shift the pins 50 radially outwardly as desired. Cam plate 72 presents sufiicient resistance to pins 50 in the second position 50b to overcome the friction of spring'wipers 47.

l A selection switch 54, Figure 4, is mounted on .Z-bracket 64 by screws 66, Figure 4. The bracket 64 extends alongthe inside face of the drum 27 in generally axial direction and is in turn welded or otherwise afiixed to carriage 60, Figures 2 and 3. The selection switch .54

is of the pressure actuated type and, for purposes of illustration, is shown as including a swingable'arm 52 which, when pressed down, depresses'the switch element 72 .to close the electric circuit as hereinafter described. The resistance presented to pin 50 in its second position 50b by arm 52 'is insufficient to overcome the .friction of spring wipers 47. Rather, switch 54 is so designed that arm 52is easily depressed by pin 50. A separate switch 54 is provided for each of thearrays of 0 the pins 50.

The carriage 60, Figures 25, is adjusted in its position about the axis of the drum 27 by releasing the clamp .nut 57-(by rotating arm 56-) and then rotating carriage 60 as desired. A pointer '116 extends radially outwardly from the carriage 60 to provide a visual indication of the position of the carriage by reference to the scale '118 mounted on plate 82 by means of elongated rod 120.'Figure 2. The arm 58 serves as a handle for adjusting the position of the carriage 60. r -Air cylinder 84 is energized at the feed end 23 of machinecontrol switch 100. Foot'pedal-102. which is spring loaded by spring 104, is depressed by the foot of the operator to. make electrical contact. Closure of switch 100 energizes an electric valve (not shown) 10- cated within the confines of the pressure regulator. 98. The valve opens to allow air under pressure into air cylinder 84; When the valve is deenergized, by removing foot pressure from foot pedal 102, air pressure. to the cylinder 84 is shut off and the cylinder is relieved of the 0 air which has accumulatedtherein. The piston returns to the deenergized position by a spring or otherwise (not shown) and is ready to be actuated again.

The selectorat the remote end D of machine 12 comprises a selector cam 106 which is rotatable about pin l08upon energizing a solenoid (not shown). As shown 7 in Figure 1,' the solid lines represent the position of the selector cam inits initial position. The ironed fiatwork not to be segregated will pass from the endless belt 16,

over the top surface of the cam and onto a conveyor 112 which leads to a dischargestation (not shown). When the cam is raised to its selecting position, as shown by the dotted lines, the ironedflatwork to be segregated will be by-passed into the opening defined by the deflecting face 114 of the cam 106 and theendless belt 16 onto the discharge station, in this case, table 26. i V i I conditioning elements 80 and 84. The selection switch 54 operates its respective selector cam 106, one of which issupplied for each channel or line in machine 12. .Also, each line is provided with a control switch 100 which energizes its respective air cylinder 84.

The selector mechanism of the present invention operates in the following manner. A number of operators, one for each channel of ironer 12, feeds freshlywashed flatwork to the fiatwork ironer at the feed end F. When a worn, damaged or stained piece of work is discovered by the operator, he depresses foot pedal 102- ofthe control switch 100 when the work is grasped between endless belts 16 and 18. Control switch 100 energizes air cylinder 84 which moves one pin 50 to the secondposition 50b. The rotor drum 27 rotates at a rate proportional to the rate of travel of the work through the machine. The pin 50 reaches selector switch 54 at the same time the work reaches the remote or discharge point D of the machine. Closure of selection switch 54 energizes .a solenoid which rotates selector cam 106 to its selecting or deflecting position. The work is bypassed to discharge table 26 instead of moving onto conveyor 112. The movable element 50, still in its second position 50b, is reset to its first position 50a by resetting cam 72.

Because each movable element 50 on rotor drum 27 b (which represents the controlswitch circuit) and-10c {which represents the selection switch circuit).

-While we have shown and described specific'embo'diments ofthe present invention, it will, of course,-be understood that various modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing fromthe true spirit and scope of the invention. 7 We therefore inrepresents one piece of flatwork travelling throughthe machine, the operator can identify each piece of work to be segregated no matter how many pieces are in the machine at any one time.

Additionally, the time delay measured from shifting selection switch 54 may be adjusted by rotating carriage 60 about rotor shaft --28 either towards or awayfrom conditioning strip'80. Asbest seen in Figures 2 and 3, pointer'116 is-an integralpart'of carriage 60 and:sweeps time indicator 118 which is mounted on rod 120. The time markings on indicator 118 measures the time delay of one cycle of selector mechanism operation.

Figure 6 shows a schematic wiring diagram for the control switch circuit. Control switches 100, 103a, 100b, etc. (one for each channel in ironer 12) are connected to their respective solenoid actuated two-way valves represented in block forms 101, 101a, 101b, etc. which are mounted on pressure regulators 98, 98a, 9812, etc. The elements of the circuit originate and terminate at a common electrical source 105, which may be a wall plug in the factory. As was stated above, the valve operates when energized to allow air under pressure to air cylinderv 84, and to relieve the pressure in the cylinder when deenergized.

Figure 7 shows a schematic wiring diagram for the selector switch circuit. Selection switches 54, 54a, 54b, etc. (one for each channel in ironer 12) are connected to their respective solenoid actuated selecting cams 106, 105a, 106b, etc. (shown in block forms) which are mounted on the remote end of the ironer. The elements of the circuit originate and terminate at a common electrical source 105a, which may be a wall plug in the factory. As was discussed above, the solenoid operates, when energized, to rotate cam 106 to its selecting position as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1, to deflect fiatwork to the discharge section represented by table 26. When deenergized, cam 106 is in the solid line position, Figure 1, and allows flatwork to move onto conveyor belt 112 which leads to another discharge station (not shown).

The electrical and mechanical relationship between the elements on the ironer 12 and the elements in memory unit 10 are shown schematically by dotted lines 10a (which represents the proportional rates of displacement of ironer 12 and rotor drum 27 of memory unit 10),

tend by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions as fall-within their true spirit and scope.

What we claim as new and desire to secure, by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for use with a fiatwork ironer or the like having a power driven conveyor means to carrythe-flat work through the ironer or thelike from a loading end to a discharge end, said device comprising: a frame; ,a drum mounted on said frame for rotation about an axis, said drum having two sides; means connecting said drum with said conveyor to rotate said drum in a given direction at a speed which is a. function of the speed of travel of an iem of fiat work through said ironer with said drum rotating less than one revolution in the time said item travels through said ironer; a plurality of pins mounted on said drum, each of said pins extending through said drum in a predetermined alignment, each of saidpins being movable along its line of alignment between a first position at which one end of said pin .extends an ineffective distance at one ofsaid sides of said drum .to a second position at which said pin extends a greater distance beyond said one side ofsaid drum; a

switch having .an actuating member, said switch being mounted with said actuating member on said one side-of ,said drum, said actuating member being positioned a element 50 to its second position 50b until it energizes greater distance from said. drum than is said one end of said pins in the first position and a lesser distance than is said one end of said pins in said second position;

acam mounted on said frame and positioned on said one side of said drum and in said direction from said switch, said cam being closer to said drum atthe' one end thereof in said direction than it is at the other end thereof, said other end of said cam being spaced from said drum a distance greater than said one end of said pins is when said pins are in said second position, said one end or" said cam being spaced from said drum a distance equal to the distance of said one end of said pins to said drum when said pins are in said first position; pin actuating means including a camlike member positioned on the other side of said drum, one end of said cam-like member being affixed to said frame with said cam-like member extending in said direction from said one end circumferentially about said drum to the other end of the cam-like member, said other end of said camlike member being beyond said cam in said direction, said one end of said cam-like member being positioned a distance from said drum greater than the distance of the other ends of the pins from said drum when said pins are in said first position, the other end of the camlike member being movable between a first position at which said other end is spaced from said drum a distance greater than the distance of the other ends of the pins from said drum when said pins are in the first position to a second position at which said other end of said camlike member is spaced a distance from said drum equal to the distance from said drum of said other ends of said pins when said pins are in said second position, said actuating means resiliently urging said cam-like member to said first position, and means operatively associated with said other end of said cam-like member to move said other end to said second position, said last mentioned means including a remote control positioned adjacent the loading end of said ironer; and gate means adjacent said discharge end of said conveyor, said gate means being connected to said switch to redirect the movement of an item of fiat work when said switch is actuated.-

2. A device for use'with a fiatwork ironer or the like having a power drivenconveyor means to carry thefiat work through the ironer or th e like fromialloading end to a discharge end, said device lcomprisingzj a ,frame; :anannular drum mounted Onsaidiframe iFOr rotation about an axis, said annular drum having an innenside and an outer side; means connecting said drum with said conveyor to rotate said drum ina'given direction 'at a speed which is a function of the speedof travel of an item of fiat work through said ironer with said drum rotating less than one revolution in the time said item travels through said ironer; a plurality of pins mounted on said drum in a plane normal'to said axis, each of said pins being on a radial line, about said-axis and extending through said drum; eachof. saidnpiris being movable along its radius line between a first position at which inner'end of said pin extends an ineffective distance beyond theinner side of said drum to. a second position at which said pin extends a greater distance beyond the inner side of said drum; means on said drum to frictionaliy resist the movement of said pins between said positions; a switch having an actuatingmember, said switch being mounted on saidframe with the actuating member in said plane onthe inner side of the drum; said actuating member being positioned a greater distance from the inner side of said drum than is said inner end of said pins in the first position and a lesser distance than is said inner end of said pins in said second position; acarn mounted on saidframeand positioned in said plane at said inner side'of .said drum and in said said plane, one endof said cam-like member being afiixed to said frame with said camdike member extending in said directionifrom said one end circumferentially about said drum tothe other end of the cam-like member, said other" end of saidcam-lilre member being-beyond said cam in sajdidirection, said one end arena cam-like member being positioned a distance ti'om said drum greater than the distance of the oulter ends of the pins from the outside of said drum when said pins are in said ineffective position, the other end of the cam-like member being movablebetween a first position at which said other end is spaced from said drum a distancegreater than thetdistance of the other ends of the pins from said drum when said pinsare in the ineffective position to a isecond position atwhich, said other end 'of said cam -like member is spaced adistance from the outside of said drum equal to the distance from said drum of the outer ends of said pins when said pins ar e iri said second position, said pin actuating means resiliently urging said camlike member to said first position, and means operatively associated with said other end of said cam-like member to move said other, end to said second position, said last mentioned means including a remote control positioned adjacent the load end of said ironer; one of said members being mounted on said frame for movement along 'an arc of a circle having its center on said axis whereby the time for a pin to rotate in said direction between said members may be varied; and means associatedwith said one member to releasably fix theposition of said one direction 'from saidactuating member, said cambeing member at selected'pointsalong said are.

closer to said drum at the one end thereof in said direction than it is at the other end thereof, said other end of said cam being spaced from said drum a distance greater than is the inner end of said pins when said pins are in said first position, said one end of said cam being spaced from said drum a distance equal to the distance of said inner end of said pins when said pins are in said second position; pin actuating means-including a camlike member positioned on the outer side of said drum in References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ,STATES PATENTS Broekhuysen Jan. 3, 1956 

